<title>Half-Wave Rectifier (inverting)</title>
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<applet code=Circuit.class archive=circuit.jar width=640 height=450>
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<param name=startCircuit value="amp-rect.txt">
<param name=startLabel   value="Half-Wave Rectifier (inverting)">
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<p>
This is an inverting
<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rectifier">half-wave rectifier</a>,
superior to the simple <a href="e-rectify.html">diode version</a> because
there is no 700 mV diode drop.  Even though the input signal only
swings 500 mV, it can still be rectified.
<p>
The <a
href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operational_amplifier">op-amp</a>
attempts to keep its &ndash; input at the same voltage as the + input
(which is at ground).
When the input signal is positive, the op-amp output goes negative to
keep the &ndash; input at ground.  No current flows through the upper
resistor or diode, so the output of the circuit is at ground.  When the input signal
is negative, the op-amp output goes positive, and current flows
through the upper resistor and diode to bring the &ndash; input to
ground.  The two 10k resistors act as a voltage divider, with one end
at the input, the other at the output, and the middle at ground, so
the output must be the negative of the input.

<p>
Next: <a href="e-amp-fullrect.html">Full-Wave Rectifier</a><br>
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<br>Generated Tue Dec  7 2010
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